Jewelry ornament



ZRWQ@ June 17, 1941. .L VASTANQ E11-m.

JEWELRY ORNAMENT Filed April 18 194D I3 Sheets-Sneak, l

June 17, 1941. 1, VASTANQ ET AL 2,246,399

JEWELRY ORNAMENT Filed April 18, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y l I ,y0

as se. 38 l Im/Miam @gp/1P Haz/15P 5f i o /gimey Patented JuneI 17, 1941 JEWELRY ORNAMENT Joseph Vastano, East Providence, and Eugene Banner, Providence,

Application April 18, 1940, Serial No. 330,33@

(Cl. (i3- 2) 4 Claims.

Our invention relates to improvements in `levvelry ornaments and method and apparatus for their manufacture, particularly to a type of jewelry ornament of the desired predetermined design and shape and having an ornamented surface in .simulation of a gem paved ornamented surface.

We are aware that in the prior art others have made jewelry ornaments having faceted indenta#D tions by stamping, but in so manufacturing said ornaments by stamping, it is obvious that the metal from one indentation must be displaced in the stamping Voperation and overflow into adjacent indentations, thus making impossible the formation of closely nested brilliant indentations by the stamping method unless each indentation is spaced a substantial distance from the other. llnasmuch as most punches reciprocate in a direction at right angles to the article only, it is apparent that when an attempt is made to punch indentations in an undulating ornamented surface, the indentations will always be at right angies to a single plane and there will be a tenciency to omit certain facets and thus it will not provide a complete gem paved simulating ellect, resulting in greatly diminished brilliancy.

We have discovered that highly brilliant faceted surfaces can be transferred from a faceted protuberance in a mold by casting a molten metal of low melting point around the end of said protuberance in the mold to provide a faceted gem simulating indentation having highly reflective brilliant faceted surfaces, and that inasmuch as no metal is displaced by this casting method, it is apparent that we are able to produce a gem paved simulating ornamented surface with the indentations thereof in closely nested relationship and with perfectly faceted surfaces throughout a substantial area of surface. Indentations having highly reflective brilliant facets produced by our improved method function to simulate a gem embedded in each indentation, producing a brilliancy simulative of the actual brilliancy produced by the refraction of light throughan actual lgem. The facets thus transferred to each indentation have highly reflective brilliant surfaces inclined at the usual angles for such facets in the actual stones so that in looking at a facet the eye actually not only sees the reflection of the facet itself, but also a double reflection of the same facet reflected from adjacent facets to provide a perspective effect to the gem, which it i's believed ls analogous to the stereoscopic effect produced by a stereopticon or in moving pictures where two reflections slightly spaced apart are superimposed upon each other to pro-s vide a true perspective of depth. With our invention, employing a cluster of such indentations, not only is the brllliancy of each individual indentation in the cluster increased but the cumulative eect is to cause an illusion of a plurality of gems standing V,out in perspective and in re-n lief as real gems. Thus, if indentations beprovided with facets similar to the external facets of brilliant cut diamonds cumulative illusions of brilliant cut" diamonds will stand out in relief from our gem paved simulating surface.

Further features of our invention relate to improvements in the method of forming an ornamental faceted gern simulating eifect on a metal article preferably provided with a plurality of indentatlons to provide a gem paved simulating ornamented surface.

Further objects of our invention are to provide improvements in the mold for employing our improved method to make our improved type of novel articles.

These and such other objects of our invention as may hereinafter appear will be best underu stood from a description of the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a plan view of a .lewelry ornament constructed in accordance with our invention.

Fig. 2 is a reverse plan view of the ornament shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an edge elevation of the ornament shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken through the ornament along the line l-t of Fig. l. Y

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed plan view of a t fragment of the gem paved simulating ornamented surface shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the back plate, and Fig. 'I is a perspective view of the front plate, making up a suitable mold for carrying out our invention.

Fig. il is a sectional view taken through the front plate of 8-8 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a perspective View of the front and back plates held in assembled relationship and with a suitable ladle in the act of filling the mold cavity formed between the front and back plates with molten metal,

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional View after the ornament has been formed by the cooling of the metal in the mold cavity and showing the back plate being removed from the front plate containing the cast ornament.

our improved mold along the line Figs. l1, 12- and 13 are respectively affront view, a side` elevation and a perspective view of a pin having an end having facets shaped in simulation of the outer surface of a brilliant cut diamond and of the type employed by us in the mold shown in Figs. 6-10.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a pin with a different type of faceted end to simulate a marcasite cut gern.t

In the drawings', wherein like characters of reference generally indicate like parts throughout, 26er 26 generally indicate a cast metal ornament constructed in accordance with our invention. As will be apparent, said ornament is preferably cast from a metal of low melting point and is provided with a gem paved simulating ornamented surface 22 or 22'. Said surface 22 or 22 comprises a plurality of faceted indentations 24v or 24 extending throughout a substantial predetermined area of the ornamented surface'22-or 22 so closely nested together as to have the thin side walls 26 or 26' of each faceted indentation substantially also comprise the side walls of adjacent faceted indentations. The facets 26 or 26' of each indentation are similar to those of the gem to be simulated and are provided with highly reflective brilliant surfaces 30 or 36. Employing this construction each faceted indentation simulates a gem embedded in each indentation. probablly due to the Iperspective double reflected effect produced in the manner hitherto described and actually simulating the refracted eil'ect produced by the gem itself.

In the embodiment shown, the facets 26 or 26 are cut in simulation of the facets on the exposed outer surfaces of brilliant cut diamonds to give the illusory perspective effect of a pavement of closely nested brilliant cut diamonds throughout the desiredl area of the ornamented surface, aptly called in French, which term is often used in America in the jewelry art. pav." Insofar as our invention is concerned, it may comprise a cluster or nest of three indentations only, but to provide a better pav effect, preferably extends throughout a substantial predetermined area of an ornamented surface, such as the surface 22 of the ornament 20 shown in Figs. 1 to 5, or the surface 22' of the ornament 20 shown in Fig. 10. If desired, the indentations of the pav surface may be formed in stripes,

circles, scrolls, leaves, or in any of the wellknown designs fknown in the art. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the pav surface 22 ha s an additional ornament interposed thereon, such as the portion 32 shaped in the form of cherries and their stems 34 breaking and overlying the pav surface. 'I'he ornament 20 or 26' itself may be of any suitable desired shape, such as the cherry leaf shown and the pav surface 22 or 22' may undulate in any desired fashion, such as in the manner shown.

As stated hitherto, others have provided a single gem simulating effect in an ornament by a stamping process. Due to the displacement of metal produced, however, by stamping, it has been impossible in the prior art to provide a closely nested cluster of gem simulating indentations by stamping, or was it possible to follow concave or convexedly shaped surfaces. We have discovered, however, that highly reflective brilliant facets may be transferred from the highly burnished facets 36 of the faceted ends 36 of suitable pins 40 or other protuberances projecting within a suitable mold cavity 42 to indentations 24 or 24' in a suitable ornament 20 or 26' cast within said cavity, providing a metal of suitable low melting point be employed. If a surface 44 of said mold cavity 42 be provided with a closely nested group of such pins or protuberances 46 extending over the desired area of said surface 44 (Fig. 8), it is apparent that inasmuchas no metal is actually displaced in the casting process, a groupof closely nested gem simulating indentations 24 or 24' may be so provided to provide the desired gem paved simulating effect in a jewelry ornament.

We have illustrated in Figs. 6 to 14 a suitable type of mold for carrying out our improved method. Said mold includes the front plate 46 provided with the surface 44 of the desired design and shape of the front surface 22 of the ornament, and complementary thereto a back mold 46 having a surface 56 of the desired design and shape to produce the rear surface 23 or 23' of said ornament. The respective front and rear mold plates 46 and 48 are provided with the hemi-funnel indentations 52 extending from the upper ends 54 thereof down to the respective mold surfaces 44 and 50, it being obvious that when the respective front and back plates 46 and 46 are brought into juxtaposition with each other that a complete funnel 55 (Fig. 9) will be provided in the respective front and back plates leading down into said mold cavity 42. One of the plates, in the embodiment shown, the front plate 46 is provided with suitable aligning projections 66 adapted to project into suitable aligning cavities 58 in the back plate 48 to keep the plates in alignment, and each of said plates is provided with a respective handle 60 for holding fthe plates together while molten metal 62 is poured down the funnel 56 between said plates in any suitable manner, such as the molten metal -62 poured from the ladle 64, shown in Fig. 9. After the metal 62 has cooled in the mold cavity 42, it is apparent that the ornament 26 or 26 is cast within said cavity and may be suitably removed from said cavity after relative movement of the 'back plate 48 away from the front plate 46, as illustrated in Fig. 10. In the embodiment shown, the mold cavity 42 is provided of the desired predetermined dign and exterior shape and configuration of the desired ornament and with a surface 44 shaped in the desired configuration of an ornamented surface, and in the embodiment shown, having a honeycombed wall 66 (Fig. 8) provided with the honeycomb holes 68. A plurality of facets 36 in simulation of the facets on the gem to be simulated are provided on an end 38 of each of a plurality of pins 40. Said facets 36 are then suitably burnished in any manner known in the art. The pins 40 are then assembled through the holes 68 of said honeycombed wall 66 and suitably secured therein, in the embodiment shown, being set so as to remain in the desired relationship therein during use and so that the highly burnished faceted ends 36 thereof project in relief as at 10 within said cavity 42 along said surface 44 throughout the desired predetermined area thereof in closely nested relationship. If desired, as shown, the outer wall of each pin may be suitably corrugated, as shown at 12, to provide a plurality of spaced small axial grooves for the withdrawal of air from the cavity 42 as the molten metal 62 is being inserted. As stated, the front and back plates are held by the medium of the handles 60 in abutting relationship during the pouring operation and while the metal 62 is being cooled from a molten to a solid state to form the ornanient 20 or 20', it being obvious that the entire ornament is then shaped as a positive from said mold cavity and that it is provided with a gem paved simulating ornamented surface 22 or 22' comprising a plurality of faceted indentations 24 or 24 so closely nested as to have the thin side walls 2E or 26' of each faceted indentation 24 or 24' substantially also comprise the side walls of adjacent faceted indentations 24 or 24 and with the facets 28 or 28 of each indentation 24 or 24 similar to those of the gems to be simulated with the indentations formed as positives from the pin or protuberance ends 38 as negatives along said surface 22 or 22' and with the facets having highly reflective brilliant surfaces 30 or 30 formed as positive surfaces transferred from the highly burnished facets 36 of said pin ends 38 as negative surfaces.

It is thus obvious that our improved method may be employed to provide a single gem simulating indentation of the desired faceted shape in a cast metal article with brilliant positive impressions on the facets of said indentations transferred from the highly burnished facets of a mold protuberance by our improved casting method. As illustrative of the different types of ornaments and ornamented surfaces which may be employed, we have illustrated in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 10, a cluster 20 of partially spherical shape, and it is apparent that so far as our improved method is concerned, the ornament may be of any desired shape and the faceted gem simulating indentations of any desired shape, square, round, oblong, or otherwise, arranged according to any predetermined design or scheme on the area over which a pav surface is desired, and as stated, the facets 28 or 28 may be so shaped as to simulate any desired gem or cut of gem and for this purpose we have also shown in Fig.V 14 a pin 40 having facets 36' arranged in simulation of a marcasite. It is also apparent that the indentations may be readily made in accordance with our-method over any type of surface, undulating, concave, convex, or otherwise.

While any suitable type of a metalof low melting point may be employed, we preferably employ a soft metal of low melting point comprising 90% of tin and the remainder of antimony, cadmium and/or lead in suitable proportions and while We have attained the best results employing tin, lead or any suitable soft metal of low melting point may be employed.

It is understood that our invention is not limited to the specific embodiments shown, or meth-v ods described and that various .deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What We claim is: 1. As a new article of manufacture, a cast metal ornament of metal of low M. P. having a non-planar gem paved simulating ornamented surface, comprising a plurality of relatively small multi-faceted indentations extending throughout a substantial predetermined area of the ornament surface so closely nested as to have lthe thin side walls of each faceted indentation substantially also comprise the side walls of adjacent faceted indentations and with the facets of each indentation similar to those of the gem to be simulated and having highly reflective brilliant surfaces, to simulate a gem embedded in each indentation.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a metal ornament having a non-planar gem paved simulating ornamented surface, comprising a plurality of relatively small multi-faceted indentations extending throughout a substantial predetermined area of the ornament surface so closely nested as to have the thin side walls of each faceted indentation substantially also comprise .the side walls of adjacent faceted indentations and with the facets of each indentation similar to those of the gem to be simulated and having highly refiective brilliant surfaces, to simulate a gem embedded in each indentation.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a cast metal ornament \of low M. P. having a gem paved simulating ornamented surface, comprising a plurality of relatively small multi-faceted indentations extending throughout a substantial predetermined area of the ornament surface so closely nested as to have the thin side walls of each faceted indentation substantially also comprise the side Walls of adjacent faceted indentations and with the facets of each indentation similar to those of the gem to be simulated and having highly reflective brilliant surfaces, to simulate a gem embedded in each-indentation.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a. metal ornament having a gem paved simulating ornamented surface, comprising a plurality of relatively small multi-faceted indentations extending throughout a substantial predetermined area l of the ornament surface so closely nested as to have the thin side walls of each faceted indentation substantially also comprise'the side walls JOSEPH VASTANO.. EUGENE BAZNER. 

